Apart from the economic crisis that they have been facing for the past five years, Athenians also have to re-think the city center of Athens. More precisely, they have to re-think one of the most prominent axes that unifies Sintagma (Constitution) and Omonia (Concord) central Squares, which are also attached to the famous neoclassical trilogy [...]
In the summer of 2012 I was a fresh graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, trying to make my way into the working world. Having been an Urban Studies student minoring in Architecture, I was hopeful I would be able to find work in which I could apply my passion for urban development, [...]
Besides infrastructure and built urban form, one of the most important aspects for cities is its physical green space. Nature can be aesthetic or functional, but it always serves the same purpose: to remind us that cities are living places bound to the laws of nature. While built space represents the structured evolution of our [...]
Water trails are defined by the North American Water Trails, as “a stretch of river, a shoreline, or an ocean that has been mapped out with the intent to create an educational, scenic, and challenging experience for recreational canoers and kayakers.” Here in Lake Tahoe, we have seventy-two miles of scenic shoreline that provides an [...]
In the neighbourhood “Polderwijk“ of Zeewolde, The Netherlands, more than a thousand homes, schools and a churches are sustainably heated with green heating that is produced with the production of electricity from biogas. The project is a partnership between the municipality, a local energy company (Essent) and a farm (Van Beek) located 5 km from [...]
Do you have a unique specialty in the field of environmental design? Do you currently live in a town or city that has not/or is currently not being covered by another blogger? Have you successfully managed social media platforms? Do you have a passion for writing and want to learn how to successfully blog? If [...]
I recently explored the bike-friendly status bestowed upon the University of Michigan and its town Ann Arbor by the League of American Bicyclists. A general consensus on their respective bronze and silver-level ratings is that there is room for improvement. An interesting way to look at the bike community in Ann Arbor is to consider [...]
In recent decades, public staircases have been subject to a great deal of controversy in most cities, often viewed as places which are commonly associated with dangerous illegal activities such as crime, drug use, and even violence. In Cincinnati, Ohio – these staircases can be found in various urban locations throughout the city – some [...]
The city of Lincoln, Nebraska has become a hub of new and innovative designs within the last couple of years. This innovation in development has truly proved Lincoln to be a growing city that encompasses environmental and functional design that benefits both the citizens of Lincoln and the environment alike. The Antelope Creek Valley is [...]
In a recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, William deBuys, author of A Great Aridness, predicted a bleak climate future for Phoenix, Arizona. He explained that a heat island effect has been created by an overly concrete world and our dependence upon water from the Colorado River. But, in a short piece on KJZZ, [...]
With pollution and traffic problems at all-time highs in Chinese cities, some are taking up cycling as a sustainable alternative. The burgeoning environmental movement, convenient urban transportation system, and the costs of car ownership have convinced some out of their cars and onto public transportation and bikes. In the past, bicycle infrastructure was purposely neglected [...]
Kifisos is a principal watercourse of the Attica basin which springs from mountains of Parnitha and Penteli, run through downtown Athens and eventually discharges into Saronikos Bay. Just before emptying into the sea, for a stretch of 20klm, river Kifisos has been regrettably covered by transportation infrastructure as means to avoid expensive expropriations. At its [...]
A few months ago, I was walking in Thessaloniki, Greece when I noticed some really eye-catching “Open House Thessaloniki” posters all over the city. I wasn’t familiar with this particular project, so as soon as I returned home, I started looking for more information about it. Ten minutes later, and I had already sent in [...]
They say that when something is meant to be, you begin to see signs of it everywhere; life begins to push you in the direction you are supposed to go. I can certainly attest to this phenomenon in my experience with urban design. Once I discovered how strong my interest was in this field, I [...]
“No matter where you are, what your constraints are, you can make it happen.” – Susie Sutphin, Farm Manager at the Truckee Community Farm The Tahoe Food Hub has a vision: to create a “hub for all sustainable food initiatives that promote social, economic and environmental responsibility in our food system.” With help from its community [...]
The Netherlands is a relatively small country, however it has a considerably sizeable population that is currently in and around 16.5 million. This makes it one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with almost 83% living in urban regions. It is an extremely low lying country with about 50% of its land [...]
How does time and light affect our urban parks? During the day, Spokane, Washington’s Riverfront Park is filled with children and their parents on the giant “Radio Flyer” statue/playground equipment piece, cyclists and runners on the paved paths, elderly folks watching the geese in the Spokane River which runs through the middle of the park, [...]
Even on a university campus neatly integrated into downtown, University of Michigan students still find themselves sprawled out across the city. The University’s three Ann Arbor campuses stretch across the city: South Campus houses athletic buildings, Central Campus is home to most of the University’s academic colleges, and North Campus is a retreat for art, [...]
In the course of the last decade, American river cities have sustained continued interest from policy makers and urban planners who have worked to create targeted opportunities for significant long-term investment and economic development. In Cincinnati, this reinvestment has received national attention in terms of how the city has been able to connect environmental design [...]
James Corner’s Field Operations, renowned designer of New York’s High Line Park, won the design competition for Chicago’s Navy Pier one year ago. The attraction is approaching its centennial in 2016, and the trustees of Navy Pier, Inc. hope the renovations will be completed in time to celebrate. Navy Pier is a major tourist attraction [...]
